I'm a warehouse worker in one of the largest US companies. When hired, we were hired for an position that was created for flexibility where we are able to pick our own shifts based on what is available and when we are available as long as you do a minimum of 30 hrs.
However ever since the creation of this position, I have heard constant complaints from the higher ups about them not liking it. This was also acted upon as the constraints on us has been constantly made tighter and tighter. Until now, most changes have more minor, annoying and frustrating but it can be worked around. However now they started making massive changes that is forcing people to either transfer out or just quit outright.
About 3 or 4 months ago, without any communication, the maximum amount of hours was cut from 60 hrs to 40 hrs. This means no overtime for anyone in this position. It was later changed to 50 hrs but it was followed up later by changing the shift length to 5 hrs long form 3 hrs. This effectively killed any flexibility the position had. Some chose to leave some switched and some stayed.
I am one of the ones who stayed. Just today another change was made without any communication where the maximum hrs was once again reduced down to 40 hrs. This is during a time where the 2 main departments are constantly calling mandatory overtime. People are constantly being pulled from the work they were doing in order to fill in the lack of personal in another. Yet the reason we were given for the change when asking HR was that “there is not enough work.”
Here's the kicker though, during this entire time, full time employees are all still able to work 60 hrs even now. Our position is the only one constantly being changed without notice nor consent. The part that makes this all the more clear they are trying to remove us is a quote from the head of HR during an group meeting,
“if the flexible schedule no longer suits you, why not switch to full time?”
This is effectly the infamous quote where a certain queen told the peasants to eat cake when they can't afford bread.
What can I do? Is the ethics hotline worth calling? Thoughts? Suggestions?